Internal-combustion engine.



0. A. STRANAHAN. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1909.

Patented May 24, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7 Inventor: Olyln/LSbnnahwu Wbmses:

W #W did 2. W by 0. A. STRANAHAN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1909.

Patented May 24, 1910.

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INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAILG. 1909.

959,084. atented May 24, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

and State of New York, have STATES PATENT OFFICE.

quit a. arr-A;Miran, or new roux. n. Y.

Toalluiomitmymm: 1

Be it known that I, Ohm A. STRANAHAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York, in the county new and useful Improvements in Infollowing as have other ternal-Combustion is a specificat on. This invention relates to internal; combustion engines and hasfor its object theprovision of. a means whereby a greater a'mount'of combustible mixture may be admitted to the cylinders than by the usual methods, thereby increasing its capacity'to take care of overloads and thus-giving the internal combustion engine as varied a'range engines, etc.- K admitting the combustible mixture while under pressure through the compression chamber at the beginning'of the suction stroke of the piston and part1 by adding thereto, inlet sheen closed, at or near the'end o thesuction stroke of the piston an additional amount of combustible mixture under the same ressure or a higher pressure or an additions. amount of air under the same pressure ora hiiher pressure to complete the necessary com 'ture.

these points.- 40

stood by ustible mix- The invention further consids in providing mechanism whereby the. fuel mixture and air may be admitted to the compression chamber at two different points inthetravel of the piston, either under atmospheric pressure or under compression,- together with means for regulating the amount of airor gas. admitted to the Theinvention further consists in controllin the admission of gas or air at the Sec- V ry inlet'hy means of the engine gov- The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrange? ment of parts which will be readily underreference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter ven. Of thedrawings: Figure 1 represents an elevation of the upper part of an internal combustion engine, the admission valves being shown in section. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged vertical section 0 the upper part of said engine, the cutting plane being'on line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3. represents a horiinvented cer- Engines, of which the rims movers such ,as'steam' his isefi'ected partially bycylinder at either ofthe pipe 25 to t rivrnnnar-counusrmn moms.

' specification of Letters Patent. I Patented May 24, A umm Med January 6, 1909; Serial m; 471,011. v

being on line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5. represents. an inverted horizontal section-of the same, the cutting plane being on line 5-6- of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents an elevation of the auxiliary valve.

Similar characters designate like arts crank chamber casing of an internal oombustion engine. having mounted g-therein cylinder 11, the upper end vided with an opening 12 to which is fitted themovable member 13. This movable member is cup-'shapedfasshown in Fig.2, and the bowl thereof is partially fille by .means of the chambered extension 14 formed on a closure 15 secured to the cylinder 11 in anywelhknown manner. This extension 14 13- provided with an inclosed chamber 16 communicating by means of the passage or opening 17 with the. space 18 between the outer surface of said extension 14 and the interior of said cup-shaped movable me mher 13. 1

A suitable'fluid is admitted through the pipe 19 to the chamber 16 and an outlet pipe 20 extends from said chamber 16 to any suitable point. The fluid enteringthe chamber 16 throughthe pipe '19 is caused to constantly circulate in the chamber under suitable ressure by means of the pum 21which may he driven by means of the be t 22 from the shaft 23, or said pump may be driven in any other well-known manner. j

Thev fluid is admitted to the pump 21 through the pig: 24 and is forced through pipe 19. Within the cylinder IE1 is the usual reciprocating piston 26 which is shown in Fig.2 in full lines. at the end of the suction stroke, and in dotted lines at the. upper end of its compression stroke,

leaving a compression space 27 between the end-thereof and the inner end of the movable member 13. Y The inlet valve- 28 is adapt.- ed to admit an explosive mixture to said compression chamber in any well-known manner, while. the valve 29 ofany well.- known construction and operable in any well-known manner, regulates the exhaust therefrom.

The spark plug 30 is of any well-known the cutting plane being on line 3'--8 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a vertical seca throughout the several figures of. the raw- In the drawings-'10 represents the usual of which is pro if construction and operates in the iTsual manner. Within the chamber 16 extends the boss 31 formed upon the inner face of the closure 15, this boss forming a bearing for the reciprocating valve '32 which extends through the passage 17 and is adapted to close said passage under certain conditions which will be hereinafter stated.

The upper end of the valve 32 is provided with an outwardly. extending flange 33 v which co-acts with a shoulder formed in the .boss 31 to limit the downward movement of said valve 32. A spring 34 within the interior chamber of said valve 32 and surrounding the stem 35. of the movable member 13 normally retains said valve in open position. The tension of this spring 34 may be re lated by means of the threaded plug 36 o a suitable stuifing box in an obvious manner.

The opening through the closure 15 and boss-or hub 31 is closed by the member 37 which forms a bearing for the stem 35 in.

which bearing said stem is adapted to be reciprocated. This stem 35 has threaded thereto the nut 38 which may be adjusted longitudinally of the stem 35 to limit the movement of the member 13 in one direction in case of accident by coming in contact with the end of the bearing 37 while the movement of the member 13 in the other direction is limited by means of the upper end thereof coming in contact with the-inner face of the closure 15.

(lo-acting with the nut 38 is a forked lever 39 having intermediate its end a detent 40 into which extends a fulcrum 41 formed upon a sleeve 42' mounted upon a support 43 secured to the upper endof the cylinder 11. The sleeve 42 is provided with a suitable flange between which and the closure 15 1s interposed a spring 44. In suitable bearings formed upon the cylinder 1.1.is a rocker shaft 45 to which is rigidly secured a slotted member. 46 through the slot in which extends the outer end of the lever- 39. Interposed between the upper end of said slot 46 and the up er face of the lever 39 is an antifriction ro ler 47 provided with a central flange extendin into grooves in said rocker member 46 an lever 39, said flange serving to maintain said roller at all times transsupporting a valve stem 56 on which is formed the valve 57 and 58 adapted, respectively, to control the admission of air and gas to the mixing chamber 59 from which the explosive mixture passes through the pipe 60 to the inlet passage 61 in the cylinder 11. From this passage 61 the explosive mixture is adapted to be admitted to the compression space whenever the valve 28 is opened in the usual operation of the engine. \Vhen the rocker arm 46 is in its normal position, as indicated in Fig. 2, the tension of the spring 44 is suflicient to substantially balance the movable member 13, the pressure of the circulating medium against said movable member, and the suction in the compression space 27 when the valve 32 is open.

'It is obvious that if'any part of the load is suddenly thrown off the governor 50 Wlll act to move the rod 49 upwardly thereby admitting a smaller amount of explosive mixture to the cylinder 11. \Vhen a less amount of ex losive mixture is thus adm tted to the cy inder, it is quite obvious that in order to secure a constant com ression, it is essentialthat the volume 0 the compression space in said cylinder should be reduced simultaneously with the reduction in the amount of mixture bein admitted to the cylinder. This is accomp ished through the medium of the arm 39 which is raised by the rod 49 moving the rocker member 46 toward the fulcrum 41. This change in leverage of the lever 39 causes the pressure in the space 18 to exceed the tension of the spring 34 and thereby permits the spring 44 to becompressed and more of the circulating fluid to. be admitted from the chamber 16 into the space 18 and move the member 13 downwardly into the compression space 27, and thereby reduce the volume therein.

It is obvious that the proportion of the compression space displaced b the movable member 13 Wlll be in proportion to the distance of movement of the roller 47 toward the fulcrum 41. When an additional load .the leverage of the lever 39 that the tension of the spring 44 will exceed the pressure upon the member 13 and permit said spring to so act uponthe lever 39 that the member 13 will be moved upwardly.

It is obvious that the movement of the member 13 will be in proportion to the (11S- tance that the roller 47 moves away from the fulcrum 41. To allow the outward movement of the member 13 and thereby increase the volume of the compression spaee for increased loads, the spring 3-1. has suilicient tension to hold the valve 32 in its open position against the pressure upon its face .gree o beeps and air admitted to the compression chain: ber may be so admitted under compression, and in order to accomplish this result the air inlet pipe 62 leads to a suitable compressor 63 and is provided with a regulating valve 64 by which the amount of airassingto the compression chamber throng the va ve 57 may be, regulated, In like manner the pi 65 for the gaseous fuelleads to a suitab e compressor 66 and has therein a valve 67 by which the amount of gaseous fuel supplied to the cylinder may be regulated. It is obvious therefore that both the air and gaseous fuel admitted to the compression chamber at the commencement of the suction stroke may be introduced into said compression chamber under com ression and the proportional amounts 0 air and gaseous fuel thus admitted ma be regulated by the valves 64 and 67. ere the combustible mixture is thus admitted under compression it is obvious that it will occupy less space or in other words in a given compression space a greater amount of combustible mixture may be admitted,. thus greatly increasing the efliciency of the engine by securing a greater horsepower without subjecting the cylinder to increased strain. It has been found that the efficiency of the engine may be still further greatly increased by supplying at or near t e end of the suction stroke an additional quantity of combustible mixture or air under the same compression that the air and gas is supplied to the compression space throu he the pi e 62 and 65 or under a greater ef compression. In order to effect this admission of the additional suppl of-gaseous fuel or air through this auxi iary inlet 68, a casing 69 is provided having a chamber 70 communicating with the inlet; 68 and an inlet ipe 71 communicating with the interior of this casing, said inlet i e 71 being provided with branches 72 and 73 leadin respectively, to an air compressor 74 an gas compressor 7 5, each of the pipes 12 and 3 being provided with a valve 76 by which the amount of air or gas admitted to the inlet pipe 7-1 from the compressor tanls 74 and may be regulated as desire The chamber 70 has a semi-cylindrical extension to which is fittedthe cup-shaped slotted valve 77, the slots 78 of which are adapted register with; the

pivoted at 90, as s own in Fig: t

a partition interposed between said member.

77 and the" inner end of the inlet pipe; 71. The member 77 is splined to a valve stem 80 to the upper'end of which is. secured a reciprocating valve 81. which normally closes the extension of theichamber 70in whichsaid cupeshaped member 77 is adapted to revolve. -'The lower end of the valve stem- 80 bears upon alug 81 formedupon the side of a pivoted. lever 82, the ,outerend 'of which, carries a roller'83. engaging with a cam 84-upon a revoluble shaft 8'5,'said shaft 85 being timed to make one'complete revolution during two reciprocations of the piston.v

The piston-26 dur" covers the inlet. 68' to t e chamber except whenit has nearly reached the end of its suction and explosion strokes when it begins to uncover said inlet, which remains. uncovered until the piston'has traveled a short distance on its return stroke, when it again covers the inlet and prevents the combustible mixture or air contained within the chamber 70 from passing into the cylinder 11. When the cam 84 acts upon the roller 83 on the lever 82 the valve 81 is lifted from its seat and the combustible or air passing through the inlet pipe-71, is free to pass through the ports 79 and 78 into the chamber 70 and if the port 68 is uncovered at. that time, this material passing through the its reciprocation v valve 81 will be free to enter the chamber 11 and mix with the combustible and air admitted to the compression space throu h the valves 28'- at the commencement of the suction stroke of the piston 26.. It isob;

vious that the "reciprocation of the valve 81 is-alwaysuniform, de 'ndin upon the lifting of the cam 84. c is retained to its seatby the spring 86 acting upon a collar 87 secured-.to the valvestem 80.

In order to regulate the additional sup: plyof combustible or air under compression through the auxiliary inlet 68gunder various conditions ofloadthe valve'stem '80 has secured thereto an arm 88 with which the forked lever 89 en ges.

and has an arm 91 interposed weentwo nuts 92 adjustably mounted upon the 'rod' ormal y the valve 81 This lever 89 is 2 and 4,

49of the governor.. A spring 93 retains said cam 91 in its normal ition and returns it to this IIOIIDfil'POSiUOII when moved therefrom. It is obvious that any reciprocation of this rod 49 will cause a rocking of the bell crank lever89-91 and thereby rotate the valve stem 80 and the cu -shaped memmember 77 will cause the ports 8 to be moved out of register with the ports 79 in thecasing partition, thereby restricting the flow of com from the inlet valve 71 to the chamber 70.

It is obvious that with an internal comber 77. This rotation of t e on -shaped ustible or air under compression ble and proper amount of air for complete increasing maximum strains, the additional 'bustion engine, the 'practicai pendition which prevents over-loads corresponding to other prime movers, such as steam engines, etc.,1sthat a sutficient amount of combustible mixture can not admitted to the cylinders by usual methods. For instance, in a four cycle engine, the combusticombustion are usually admitted during the suction stroke at practically atmospheric pressure; and with suction producer gas at even less than atmospheric pressure, thus limiting the amount, whereas it they were admitted under pressure the quantity could be increased as also the power produced. Furthermore the explosive pressure which regulates the necessary strength of engine parts would not be increased, it the compression remain the same, by introducing more combustible mixture, so that the same on ine can produce increased power'without power belng due to a higher mean efi'ective pressure. This can be accomplished by com ressing both the combustible and air beore admittancewhich will require sufficient com ressor capacity for the total amount able pressure for complete combustion. The compresslon can be done by an independent compressor (which may or may not be drlven by the englne) or in certain designs of engines by the piston upon its back stroke. This method of regulation and 'increased maximum power can be accomplished by means of the mechanism -described, the auxiliary inlet 68 of which will be covered by the piston 26 except at and near 1ts position at the end of the explosion and suction strokes. The valve 81 may be opened at near the end of the suction stroke to admit compressed air or gas to mix with the combustible mixture and closed just after the beginning of the compression stroke, or it may also be opened at the end of the explosion stroke of the iston to admit compressed air to assist t e expulsion of burned gases.

It is obvious that the amount of valve opening or'area'of air passage may be controlled by the engine governor 50 by the mechanism hereinbefore described. The operation would be that instead of adjusting the mixing valves for the proportion of air to give complete combustion as usual, they esaosa would be adjusted for less than the amount suficient for completecombustion. The rest of the necessary air would be admitted through the auxiliary air valve 81 near the end of the suction stroke. The engine governor willregulate the amount of gas and air admitted through the mixing valves and the a cunt of air admitted through the a'uxili 7 air valves according to the load upon tii engine, so that when. adjusted the action wili be automatic from light load to at least 50% above rated load.

The auxiliary valve port is usually more or less open at all loads, although it known that the load for a certain period would not exceed normal the secondary valve could be thrown out of commission by closing the valves and the mixing valve adjusted to admit the proper amount of air for combustion. In this case the mixing valve would be set for proper amount of air for combustion and the ort of secondary valve remain closed unti the position of governor at overload would open it, and continue to open it wider as load increased. Both oompresmd gas and air would be admitted to give an additional amount of combustible mixture, it being obvious that the gas and air could be com ressed and admitted together or separately through separate valves. In some cases the mixing valve of the engine may be so set that sufiicient air for complete combustion will be admitted with the asunder atmos heric pressure (or suction? and then an additional amount of air and combustible under compression, according to load would be admitted through the secondary valve. The automatic regulation of the compression space according to load, by means of the member 13 and its operating mechanism makes it possible to effect the result desired and by the use of the present invention ood economy at light loads are possible w ile large over-loads upon a gas engine which are now impossible would be ossible with an engine constructed as herein described.

It is believed that from the foregoing the operation and many advantages of the invention will be fully understoodwithout further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a reciprocatin iston; of means for supplyin a combustfiiFe and air to the compression 0 amber during the suction stroke of said iston; means for regulating the compression during the compression stroke; and means co-acting with said compression regulatin means for supplying and regulating the a mission of an additional amount of air at the end of said suction stroke.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a reciprocating on; of. means for supplying a com 1e to the com ression chamber-during the suction, stro e of said'piston;,and means for regulating the admission ofa sup 'ly of air at the end of said suction stroke the amount of compression produced during'the compression stroke in relation to the amount. of air supplied.

3. In an internal combustion en combination with a reciprocating piston; of means for supplying acombustible to ,the com ression chamber during the suction stro e of said piston; and means for supplying and so regulating the admission of.

an amount of air at the end of said suction stroke, and the volume of the com ression space that the compression duri the compression stroke wlll be inverse y proporti6nal to the amount of air supplied.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a reciprocating piston; of means for supplying a gaseous mixture to the compression chamber at the com-' combination with a reciprocating piston;

of means for supplying): gaseom' mixture to the compression cham r at the commence-- ment of the suction stroke of said piston; an

, inlet to the cylinder at a point in advance of the position of said piston at the commencement of the compression stroke; a combined reciprocating and revoluble valve for said inlet; means for reciprocating said valve at' a predetermined time; a cup-shaped slotted member secured to the stem of said valve; and means controlled by the governor for rotating said cu -shaped slotted memher to uncover said 5 ots sufliciently to regulate the amount of through. I i

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a reciprocating piston; of means for supplying a gaseous mixture to the com ression chamber at the commencement 0' the suction stroke of said piston; an inlet to the cylinderat a point in advance of the position of said piston atthe commencement of the compression stroke; ,a

gas admitted therecombined reciprocating and revoluble valve; means for opening sald valve at a prede- 'termined time; a cup-shaped slotted member secured to the stem of said valve, the slots of which co-act with ports in the valve regulating, means. a

casing; and means for rotating said on daaped member to regulate the suppy said ports.

than? 7. an internal combustion engine; the combination with a reciprocating plston; of

means for supplying a gaseous mixtureto the compression chamber. at the" commencement of the suction stroke of said piston; an I inlet to the cylinder at a point in advance of the position-of said piston at the commencement oi the compression stroke; a combined reciprocating and revoluble valve; means for,

openin said valve at a predetermined time;

aped slotted member secured tothe stem of said valve, the slots of which co -act with rts in the valve casing; and means 7 cont by the governor for rotating'said cup-shaped member to regulate the supply through said ports. I

8. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a reciprocating piston; of r,

means for supplying a gaseous mixture to the compression chamber at the commence: ment of the suction stroke of said piston; an inlet to the cylinder at a point in advance of the position of said piston at the commencement of the compression stroke; a 1

combined reciprocating and revoluble valve for said inlet; rotatable means secured to and movable with said valve for regulating the amount. of gas passing through said opening; means for reclprocating said valve at a predetermined time; and means controlled by the governor for rotating said gas 9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a reciprocating piston; of

means for supplying. a-gaseous mixture to the compress on chamber at the commencement ofthe suction stroke of said piston an inlet to the-cylinder at a point inadvance of cos the position of said piston at the commence ment of. the: compression stroke; acom;-

bined reciprocating andrevolubl'e valve for said inlet; means for reciprocating said valve at a predetermined time to open said valve; and means controlled by the governor for rotating said valve rat a predetermined time to regulate the amount 'of gas passin through said valve opening.

'10. u an internal combustion engme, the

combination with a reciprocating p ston; of means for supplying a gaseous mixture to.

the compression chamber at the commencement of the suction stroke of said plston; an

inlet to the cylinder ata point in advance of the position of said piston at the commencement of the compression stroke; a combined reciprocating and revoluble valve; means for opening said valve at. a predetermined. time; a cu -sha member secured to the stem of said va ve and movable therewith,.

provided with peri heral openin near the to while the wall is also provide with slots w ich co-act with ports in the valve casing;

. combusti and means for rotating said cup-shaped member to regulate the supply through said ports. 11. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a reciprocating piston; of

means for supplying a mixture of gaseous fuel and air under compression to the compression chamber at the commencement of thejsuction stroke of said piston; means for admitting an additional supply of air under a higher compression at a ater period during the suction stroke; and a valve for regulalting the admission of said additional sup- P Y Y 12. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of means for varying the vol ume of the compression space; means for, and regulating the amount of supplying 1e mixture under compression at the end of the explosion stroke; and means for regulating the volume of the compression space in relation to the amount of com: bustible mixture supplied.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a reciprocating piston; of

means for supplying a gaseous mixture to the compressi'onchamber at the commencement of the suction stroke of said piston;

I an inlet to the cylinder at a point in advance of the position of said piston atthe commencement, of the compression stroke; a comblned reciprocating and revoluble valve for said inlet; means for reciprocating said valve at a predetermined time to open said valve; and adjustable means controlled by the governor for rotating said valve at a predetermined time to'regulate the amount of gas passing through said valve opening.

14. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of means for varying the v0lume of the com ression space; means for supplying a comb than atmospheric pressure; and common means for regulating the volume of the comustible mixture at greater pression space and the amount of combustible mixture admitted.

15. In an internal combustion engine of four-cycle type, means for admitting to the compression chamber thereof a combustion mixture at greater than atmospheric pres sure; and means for var in the volume of the compression space slmu taneously with the change in V0 ume of combustible admitted.

16. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of means for supplying a combustible mixture under compression during sion space and the amount of combustible mixture supplied.

18, In an internal combustion engine, the combination of means for supplying a combustible mixture under compression during the suction stroke; and means for regulating the pressure of the combustible mixture vadmitted and the amount of compression produced during the compression stroke.

Signed by me at 4 Post Office Sq., Boston,

I Mass, this 19th day of December, 1908.

oLIN A. STRANAHAN. Witnesses:

WALTER E. LoMsARn, NATHAN C. LOMBARD. 

